Safety mine car coupling pin



Nov. 27, 1945. J. w. SHEALY SAFETY MINE CAR CdUPLING PIN Filed Sept. 7, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l JAMES WEHEALY ATTORNEY Nov. 27, 1945. J. w.- SHEALY. 2,389,821

'SAFETY MINE CAR COUPLING PIN Filed Sept. '7', 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JANE 5W. SHEA LY INVENTOR.

ATTEIHNEY Patented Nov. 27, 1945 UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE SAFETY MINE can COUPLING PIN James W. Shealy, Jasper, Ala. Application September 7, 1944, Serial No. 553,016

Claims. o1. 213--188) My invention relates to a safety mine car coupling pin and has for its object the provision of a handle for such a coupling pin that may be held by workmen in the coupling and uncoupling of mine cars without danger of serious injury.

As is well known, the rails in mines, upon which ,mine cars run, are necessarily very uneven and are frequently out of line. This is especially true in new workings, where the track has not had tim to settle or be solidly supported. This unevenness and irregularity in the tracks necessitates the employment of coupling members between the cars which have rather wide relative movement with respect to the cars. The most satisfactory form of coupling yet devised is the well known link and pin coupling which involves the workmen enterin or reaching between the ends of the cars and handling the coupling pins manually in order to insert or remove them from the links. When, in making such a coupling, the cars are in motion, or are started up suddenly, it frequently happens that the pin has only partially entered the coupling members, and the motion of the car causes the upper end of the pin to swing or snap against the end of the car mashing the fingers of the workman holding it. One of thelargest items of payment for injury and loss of time around a coal mine is payment for injuries due to this cause alone. It frequently happens that fingers have to be amputated after being caught between the head of the coupling pinand the end of the mine car. It is accordingly the principal object of my invention to provide a coupling pin which, when grasped by a Workman, and subjected to an accident of the kind just described, will not inflict injury on the workman.

A device embodying features of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which Fig. 1 is an elevational view showing the ends of two mine cars and provided with my improved coupling pin;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation showing my invention as applied to existing coupling pins;

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken at right angles to Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation showin my invention applied to a coupling pin made especially for it; and

Fig. 5 is a similar view taken at right angles to Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings for a better understanding of my invention, I show in Fig. 1 the ends l0 and II of two mine cars which are coupled together by means of a link l2 and pins I3 and I4. As is usual, only one of the pins is adapted for ready manual'manipulation and for that purpose is provided with a head IE to be grasped by a workman to lift the pin in and out of the draw head I! where it engages the link l2. As viewed in Fig. 1, if the cars In and I l were in motion, or if one of the cars was suddenly moved away from the-other with the pin l4 partially, but not wholly, pulled out of the draw head H, the upper end or head I6 of the pin would be snapped against the end of the car II and mash the fingers of the workman handling the pin.

In order to overcome this difficulty, with presently existing coupling pins, I provide a steel yoke 18 which fits about the head I6 of the coupling pin and which is provided with a button l9 at the top. On this button, I vulcanize a relatively soft yet strong rubber handle 2| having sufilcient resiliency so that if it is thrown or jerked against the end of the car I I, it will not injure the fingers of the workman grasping it.

In Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, I show the pin 14 more in detail. As will be seen, the head It is relatively thin in one dimension and the yoke I8 is made to fit snugly about the head.

In order to provide the necessary strength and flexibility for the handle 2|, I preferably provide it with reinforcement in the form of a light metal chain 22 which is welded to the top of the button 59. .The chain 22 provides all the strength necessary for the handle 2|, without interfering with its flexibility. In making the attachment shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, the handle 2| is molded about and vulcanized to the button l9 and the chain 2 2. There is thus provided an efficient, long lasting, resilient handle which may be safely grasped by a workman in coupling and uncoupling cars. In addition to the flexibility of the handle which renders it incapable of mashing the fingers of a workman, it also affords insulation against electric shock, which sometimes occurs when a coupling pin comes in contact with a "live electric conductor.

With new coupling pins, it is preferable that they be made according to the modification shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings. with this modification, the button I9 is formed directly upon the head l6 of the pin l4 and carries a small chain 22. Otherwise, the pin shown in this modification is in all respects similarto that shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have devised an improved safety coupling pin In accordance for mine cars which is simple and economical of construction and one which may be safely handled by a workman in the coupling and uncoupling of cars.

While I have shown my invention in but two forms, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible ofvarious other changes and modifications, without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A coupling pin of the character described having a resilient, elongated rubber handle on the upper end thereof comprising a longitudinal extension of the pin and adapted to be grasped by a workman.

2. A safety mine car coupling pin comprising a head, a yoke secured to the head, a button on the yoke, and an elongated resilient rubber handle vulcanized to the button and forming a longitudinal extension of the pin.

3. A safety attachment for a mine car coupling pin comprising a resilient rubber handle on the upper end of the pin, and forming a longitudinal extension of the pin and a button to which the handle is vulcanized and attached to the coupling 4. A safety attachment for a mine car coupling pin comprising a button on the upper end of the coupling pin, a reinforcing chain secured to the button, and a resilient rubber handle vulcanized to the button and the reinforcing chain and forming a longitudinal extension of the pin.

5. A safety attachment for mine car coupling pins comprising a metal button, a yoke secured to the coupling pin and to which the button is attached, a reinforcin chain secured to the button, and an elongated resilient rubber handle vulcanized to the button and the reinforcing chain and forming a longitudinal extension of 20 the pin.

JAMES W. SHEALY. 

